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Fake News can lead to genocide – Femi Adeshina

Monday, Femi Adeshina the Senior Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity in an appearance on Channels Television said fake news about the Nigerian government making the rounds on the Internet are aimed at causing disenchantment and exposing President Mohammadu Buhari to ridicule and hatred.

He continued to say, there are many reasons why people will create and disseminate fake news but top on his list is mischief. In his words, ‘there are many reasons; I can’t speak for those who are behind this development but I can hazard guesses why they do it. One will be pure mischief to just cause disenchantment in the country’.

‘If you see the last line of that story, they said that the trip may not be unconnected to the President’s health. Can you just imagine that? I took time to read some of the reactions that followed that fake news and you could see people say all sorts of rubbish. That was their intention; so that they can expose the President to odium if possible. So, one reason is mischief. To cause odium, to cause disenchantment. Another reason could also be to de-market somebody. You want to de-market somebody and play up another person. Then, of course, another one is they want traffic to their website.’ he said.